Kochi, April 1 – The Indian Coast Guard rescued a fisherman who had been missing for nearly 36 hours off the coast of Kerala on Wednesday, officials said.
Ranjumoni Sonowal (40), a crew member of the mechanised fishing vessel ‘Zion’, which is registered in Tamil Nadu, had gone missing on the night of March 30 while the boat was returning from fishing operations, according to an official statement.
According to officials, the incident occurred approximately 27 km off the Kochi coast, where the fisherman was found adrift at sea without food or water.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai and the Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) in Kochi received information about the missing crew member on March 31, following which a search and rescue operation was launched.
An Indian Coast Guard ship, ICGS Arnabesh, which was on patrol in the area, was diverted to the search zone. An aircraft sortie was also launched to support the operation, it said.
After a coordinated search effort from sea and air, the fisherman was located and rescued on April 1 by ICGS Arnabesh.
Officials said that the rescued man was severely dehydrated and suffering from hypothermia. He was given first aid onboard and later transferred to a hospital for further treatment.
The Coast Guard said that the swift response and coordinated efforts ensured the safe recovery of the fisherman, reaffirming its commitment to saving lives at sea, the statement added.
